GRITTY Circuit Workout – 40 minute Fat Blaster

 

Hi guys!  So, I’ve been fairly successful so far on my 5 Day FOCUS Diet.  I had one bad night (pad thai w/veggies for dinner) but other than that I’m pretty proud of my discipline to date and am feeling better all ready – yay!  How’s the plan going for youOn another note, a colleague and I have been working out together in the mornings at our hotel gym.  This morning we did an awesome HIIT workout from one of his men’s fitness magazines.  It was very GRITTY so I wanted to create a similar workout to share with you.  Now ladies, don’t be intimidated or turned off.  Just because the workout is intense and was originally designed for men doesn’t mean that it isn’t beneficial for us.  It won’t make us bulky or injure us if done properly.  GRITTY = PRETTY 🙂

Brit’s GRITTY Workout Details

  • Duration: Overall, the workout took us about 40 minutes to complete and we were DRENCHED in sweat by the end (my booty has been sore all day).
  • Calories Burned: ~400-600
  • Equipment: All you need is 2 medium to heavy dumbbells (I used 10 pounds and my male colleague used 15 pounds).
  • Style: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).  There are 6 circuits and each circuit includes 6 X 1 minute exercise intervals.  The workout nicely combines both strength and cardio training into combination exercises.
 

Instructional Photos

 Regular Front Squat + Side Squat

      Bent Over Row + Upright Row  

    Squat with Shoulder Press

    Single Leg Dead Lift

    Plank with hand shoulder taps  

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5 Day Diet FOCUS Plan

Hey Gang!  So I have a confession to make…

I have been eating TERRIBLY for the past 2 weeks.  Not sure what my problem is, but I’ve developed some nasty habits (i.e. adding croutons to salads, snacking on candy, too many simple carbs for breakfast – sticky buns anyone?)  The fact of the matter is, I’ve been making a lot of excuses to eat crappy food, and the excuses have got to stop – today!

While getting ready for my work week,  I put together this 5 day diet FOCUS plan.  Keep in mind that I’m a vegetarian, so if you are trying the plan for yourself and want to add some lean meat to one of the meals, by all means go for it!

Here’s my game plan for the next 5 days (Monday – Friday).  Each day, my diet will look like this:

  • Breakfast – 1 cup black coffee, 2 cups water, fresh fruit w/Greek yogurt OR w/ all natural peanut butter
  • Min morning snack – 1 serving of nuts or trail mix, 1 large glass of water
  • Lunch – Large veggie salad with oil/vinegar dressing (NO croutons, cheese, or meat), 1 large glass of water
  • Afternoon Snack – fresh fruit, 1-2 cups hot green tea
  • Dinner – 1 serving vegetarian protein (black beans, humus, lentils, etc.), 2 servings of veggies

I’ll be tweeting my progress all week, so follow me @GRITbyBrit – wish me luck and have wonderful week!

be stronger

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We can always quit…why start now?

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Happiest Thursday to you!  I saw this quote on Twitter, “We can always quit, why start now?”   It made me take a step back and reflect on decisions I’m currently facing in my own life.  I gotta be honest….I’m TIRED.  Work is demanding.  Traveling is draining.  In addition to that, the effort it takes to plan my workouts, blog, volunteer and consciously spend time with the people I love, leaves me with very little in my “Energy Budget” at the end of each day.  BUT I’m happy to say that even though it seems like I’m “running on empty” at least I’m still running.  And that, my friends, is a blessing!

So, I write this blog post for both selfish and selfless reasons:

  1. I hope it motivates you to keep pushing
  2. I needed to give myself a pep talk 🙂

Have a wonderful day – you got this!

Lots of luv,

Brit

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Fit in 14 Days #OperationTahiti

Brandon has officially completed his GRIT by Brit #OperationTahiti plan.  In case you missed the plan, CLICK HERE to see the details and maybe even try it for yourself.  Today, Brandon sent me his final update and on his way to TAHITI!

He did an awesome job.  In his own words, here are his results…

  • I added 4 lbs to get to 167 lbs and feel good about that weight
  • Definitely feel like my core is much tighter and cut vs. when I started
  • I’m starting to see the definition and base of strength come back into my chest, biceps, triceps and shoulders vs. when I started
  • My legs hate me right now…definitely still sore and need to do more work on my quads and hamstrings going forward
  • On the cardio front, I have definitely noticed come improvement.  However, I still need to put in some more work to get to where I want to be.  This will be a never ending battle.  Us former track sprinters always hated the distance folks, right?
In summary, this last two weeks has been awesome.  Mad props to you (Brit) for putting together a fun workout plan that got me back in the gym regularly and to be more conscious about what I ate and drank.  The plan also helped me get through a hectic period of travel, accepting an offer for a new job, and closing an offer on a new apartment in LA — it’s been a crazy two weeks, haha.  I am looking forward to keeping up this schedule and infusing it with some of my old workout routines from college.
Thanks, Brit!  Now, off to Tahiti…
-Brandon

BEFORE and AFTER

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10 Minute Legs & Thighs Workout Video: Complaining Won’t Burn Calories!

In the spirit of it being Sunday afternoon, I want to share some good old fashion inspiration.  It goes like this “Always be joyful.  Always keep praying.  No matter what happens, always be thankful.”  (1 Thes. 5:18-16) This is easier said than done, but the truth of the matter is that complaining or having a victim mentality will do us no good in life.  Life is hard.  It always will be.  We know this.  HOWEVER, when we learn to always be thankful we make ourselves STRONG enough to endure and thrive under the most trying circumstances.  This week, I challenge you to practice being joyful.  At the end of each day, think about 5 things that happened in your day that you are grateful for.  It’s amazing how practicing gratitude can totally uplift our outlook on life, energize us and give us more #GRIT.

With that in mind, here’s a new leg workout video that I made last week. It’s HARD but guess what, you CAN do it!   Be thankful for a healthy body that’s able to workout and know that complaining won’t burn calories 🙂  Make it an awesome week.  Lots of luv, Brit

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Leaning in Sheryl Sandberg Style: Up close w/ Facebook COO and other Wonder Women

picstitch (22)Word on the street is Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, is positioning herself to run for US political office which is why she’s investing so much time and energy in promoting her new book, Lean In.  I don’t really care what her intentions are.  I just know that after I read the book and heard her speak this weekend, I felt re-energized and ready to CRUSH it.  I like Sheryl and the “Lean In” message because, to me, it’s a modern day, sexy, non-butch feminist movement.  I’m a “girly” girl, but I’m also feisty, aggressive and have lots of GRIT (aka GRIT by Brit).  The way Sheryl describes a feminist allows me to be ME 🙂

Sheryl Sandberg Lean InI graduated from Harvard Business School in 2010, so last weekend 2 of my best friends/classmates and I went back to Boston for the Women’s 50 (#W50) Summit.  W50 celebrated 50 years since women were admitted to HBS.  We had a rockstar list of key note guest speakers including Anne Moore,  Karen Gordon Mills and Frances Frei.  But in addition to these high-profile guests,  I learned SO MUCH from my fellow HBS women alumni who simply shared their personal stories.  I left the weekend feeling like…

“I got this. I’m gonna be okay.  It’s all good. The world is MINE.”

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I also feel a duty to share the Top 5 Life Lessons I learned over the past 3 days.  I hope these nuggets of wisdom impact you as much as they’ve positively impacted me.

  1. Life is about “juggling” not “balancing” priorities.  If we try to be “balanced” we’ll always be disappointed.  It’s not that easy.  Better yet, think of life as juggling and the only way to get good at it is to practice.  In life, we are juggling several balls (i.e. priorities) , family, career, friends, hobbies.  Some balls bounce if you drop them (i.e. career) but others don’t (i.e.family.)  When juggling, the ball that requires the most attention at a point in time is the one that’s falling – Howard Stevenson
  2. Dare to be bad.  This doesn’t mean we should act like 16 year old rebellious teenagers.  It means that in order to be GREAT at some things, we have to have the courage and wisdom to be BAD at somethings (i.e. Wal-Mart is not GREAT at customer service).  If we try to be good at everthing, all we achieve is perfect mediocrity.  The road to mediocrity is paved with good intentions.  But daring to be BAD is pathway to greatness. – Francies Frei
  3. Attribute your successes to your OWN talents and skills.  This is a key point that Sheryl hammered home which rings especially true for women.  While luck, the help of others and hard work play a large role in our achievements, we also have to acknowledge that we are pretty freakin’ talented.  Men do this much more than women.  But ladies, we need to start giving ourselves some credit when we knock it out of the park.  Like I always say, “Show some Swagger”
  4. Leaders adapt and pressure is a privilege.  We should be excited about the challenges in our lives and face them head on, with confidence.  – Ann Moore
  5. The most important decision in our lifetime is who we choose to marry.  Frances Frei says, “Plan A, marry the person who energizes you and inspires you to be a better person.  Plan B is to surround yourself with a team of people who do the same.”  No matter who I spoke with this weekend, a key theme I heard is that a happy, supportive spouse played a critical role in each woman’s livelihood,  career success and family health.  Many of the husbands described were willing to help do the laundry and take care of the kids so that these high-achieving women didn’t have to “lean back” from their own careers. – Sheryl Sandberg

Now go CRUSH this week #GRIT

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Studio Review: Uplift Studios NYC – Get UPLIFTED!

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Last weekend I discovered yet another NYC fitness gem, Uplift Studios!  It’s a women’s only gym that provides personal training and group fitness classes (no standard gym equipment to workout on your own).  Long story short, it’s a smaller, higher-end version of  Lucille Roberts or Lady of America.  While scoping out the scene, I took a Cardio group fitness class.  Overall, I was VERY pleased with my experience.  Here’s the low down…

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The vibe of the studio is VERY welcoming and peaceful.  Boutique fitness studios in NYC can often be snobby, which makes me feel super uncomfortable.  This certainly was not the case at Uplift.  I was greeted with a HUGE smile from the front desk staff and received several compliments on my Nike Pro leggings 😉  Also, the group fitness class instructor, Steph, went out of her way to introduce herself to me and push me individually during the class.

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Now, this studio is NOT for you if you like to workout on your own with no guidance or if you want to engage in some hard-core competition.  On the other hand, the studio is GREAT for ladies who are new to working out.  There’s no anxiety about being the “worst person in the class” or men watching you exercise.  As you can see in the pictures above, the studio tries to generate a very “uplifting” group atmosphere.  Cardio dance parties and encouraging, intimate group fitness classes are the core of the studio.  The fitness classroom is very small and can only hold about 15 people.  Also, the personal training is great if you’re getting ready for a big event, like a wedding! Training sessions are private and the trainers seem really patient. picstitch(25)

Last but not least, the studio itself is very nice, clean, modern and well-kept.  GREEN is key color and luckily that day I had green nail polish, so I fit right in 😉  Showers, hair dryers and free lockers are also available.  In regards to cost, Uplift classes are on the high-end (market rate for boutique fitness studios in NYC).  Expect to pay $32 per 1-hour class.

Ultimate Verdict:  I personally, won’t be going back because I’m very value conscious.  For $32 dollars I would rather go to SoulCycle, CrossFit or Barry’s Boot Camp because the atmosphere and culture are more intense.  However, I’m a really competitive person and realize that many people don’t share my fitness preferences.  Nonetheless, I highly recommend my GRIT Girls to try out Uplift, especially if you typically only do Pilates/Yoga workouts and want to explore new cardio and strength training classes.  Get “Uplifted” – enjoy!

Lots of luv,

Brit

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It’s not over…

2 stronger GRIT by Brit

Hope you guys had a very happy Easter weekend.  What a wonderful holiday – I’m always encouraged after Easter because it reminds me that ALL things are possible with God.  If death can be conquered, then I know I can certainly conquer my goals or any obstacles in my life.  

As I was sitting here in my room preparing for my work week and planning the workouts I want to post, I had an urge to change it up and to just share some good old-fashion encouragement with you instead.  It that alright?

So here it goes…

Be encouraged this week!  You may feel like giving up, you may feel hopeless, you may feel like you’ve been working your butt off and nothing is paying off.  But guess what?  It’s not over for you or for me.  We got gotta hang in there and keep pushing!   We are closer than we think we are.  Be strong this week.  Work harder than you’ve ever worked before.  Be more kind and more forgiving to others than you’ve ever been before.  Today is a new day and you are almost there.  Be ENCOURAGED and NEVER EVER QUIT.  You got this! You’re stronger than you think you are #GRIT

Lots of luv,

Brit

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Melt the Muffin Top: Complete workout for your CORE

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Alright y’all.  Summer time is quickly approaching.  While I’ve learned to love my “love handles” and opt for high-waist pants rather than low-rise ones, I still feel a need to address the much dreaded “muffin top.”  Now, we all come in different shapes and sizes and we should embrace our natural curves.  However, excess belly fat and fat storage around the hips is neither HEALTHY nor SEXY.  Belly fat, which is called visceral or intra-abdominal fat, is linked to high cholesterol, high insulin, high triglycerides, high blood pressure and other health problems. You can click here to read up on more health risks of excess belly fat.

Below is a workout I designed that will strengthen your core and lower back and also help provide some definition to you lower waist.  For best results, do this workout 3 times per week for 4 weeks along with 30-45 minutes of high intensity cardio intervals.  I’ve also included some pics of me doing the workout this morning to help guide you.  Try it out and let me know how it goes.  Enjoy!  Luv, Brit 🙂

muffin topMelt the Muffin Top

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Packing the (nutrition) PUNCH

Lindsey KrasnaGuest Post by Linsdsay Krasna, GRIT by Brit Registered Dietician

So I was en route to Brit’s weekly NYC Turbo Kickboxing class Sunday morning… adrenaline pumping (burpeeees here I come!)… when I realized, mid-subway ride, that class was cancelled for Spring Break! Ahh man… what’s gal to do? I decided to take this incident as a sign that perhaps instead of kicking butt today, I should savor the opportunity to “rest butt”…… and put my energy into a long overdue nutrition blog post!

I’ve been taking Brit’s Turbo Kickboxing class for a little over a month now, and if I had to pick one thing that keeps me coming back (besides the exceptionally awesome instructor, of course), it would be the efficiency of this workout. Her class is a high-energy hour-long conglomerate of heart-pumping cardio, leg/arm/core-work, and plyometrics… all choreographed to a kick-a** beat. And the best part is, it’s so fun, you don’t even realize how hard you’re working! (That is, until the next day, when you attempt to get out of bed and your aching shoulders and thighs are cursing you). Seriously though, Brit’s class packs the punch (no pun intended… well, maybe it was intended a little bit).

This got me thinking: how could I encourage readers pack their punch, nutritionally?

And Walla! See below for a few strategies and examples of my favorite food combos that will help you get most bang for your “nutritional buck.” Enjoy!

1. FAT + FRUIT effect

apple and peanut butterCombining mono- & poly-unsaturated fats with fruit (and veggies!) actually helps to boost the absorption of fat soluble vitamins found within in the produce, such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Not only that, but the addition of the dietary fat gives a thrill to your taste buds that plain fruit or veggies just can’t do for you alone.

Ideas:

1) apple and peanut butter

2) salad with avocado

3) steamed or baked veggies drizzled with olive oil

4) carrots and hummus dip

2. Two halves DO equal a whole

Brown-Rice-and-BeansShout out to my vegetarians! Getting adequate quality protein can be a challenge for non-meat eaters… but not to worry! Herbivores can still easily meet their protein needs by consuming a combination of two complementary proteins.

Ideas:

1) rice and beans

2) pita and hummus

3) cereal and milk. Additionally, for those down with dairy, low-fat Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are A+ sources of high quality protein.

3. Upping the ante w/ IRON

tomato baked chickenWhen iron-rich foods are eaten with acidic/citrus foods, a synergistic effect occurs in which the body more readily absorbs the iron. Just ask Popeye!

Ideas:

1) spinach salad with strawberries

2) OJ with iron-fortified cereal

3) chicken cooked in tomato sauce

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